SOUTH WESTERN MUSTANGS GRIDIRON 2014-8

By Bill Engelhardt

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Last Friday evening, October 10, the Mustangs of South Western visited the den of the Wildcats of Dallastown and were edged 28-27 in a thriller.  The Mustangs scored the first 21 points, and led 21-7 at the half.  The Wildcats scored the next 28 points, and the Mustangs scored the final 6 points.  Jacob Jansen’s block of the Mustangs’ extra point kick sealed the deal with 1:35 remaining in the game.

The Mustangs opened the game with a three and out and punted but the Wildcats muffed the punt and Matt Smolko recovered for the Mustangs at the Wildcats 30-yard line.  Junior quarterback Brock Geiman then threw a picture perfect 30-yard touchdown pass to Brady Thayer.  Andrew Slater’s extra point kick put the Mustangs up 7-0 at the 10:50 mark of the first quarter.

 The Wildcats then drove from their 29-yard line to the Mustangs 9-yard line in five plays, featuring runs of 26 and 30-yards by Addison Quinones.  The Wildcats attempted a field goal but were thwarted by a bad snap.

The Mustangs then drove 82-yards in thirteen plays, featuring passes of 12 and 7-yards from Geiman to Miles Francis and an 11-yard pass from Geiman to Corbin Byers.  The drive ended with Drew Hartlaub’s 14-yard touchdown scamper.  Slater’s extra point kick put the Mustangs up 14-0 at the 1:57 mark of the first quarter.

The Wildcats had a short drive thwarted by Seth Janney’s sack of Cade Gold for a 7-yard loss and punted   The Mustangs then drove 45-yards in six plays, featuring a 22-yard pass from Geiman to Francis, and ending with a 3-yard touchdown scamper by Francis.  Slater’s extra point kick put the Mustangs up 21-0 at the 10:10 mark of the second quarter.

The Wildcats and the Mustangs exchanged punts and then the Wildcats drove 70-yards in thirteen plays, featuring a couple of nice runs by Sharod Wilson, for 11 and 9-yards, and passes of 13 and 8-yards from Gold to Wilson.   Wilson ended the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run and McKinley Curran’s extra point kick made the score 21-7 with 1:16 left in the second quarter.

The Wildcats opened the second half with a 73-yard drive in seven plays, featuring a 39-yard pass from Gold to Dezmond Jones.  Wilson ended the drive with a 24-yard touchdown run and McKinley’s extra point kick made the score 21-14 at the 8:59 mark of the third quarter.

The Mustangs went three and out and punted and the Wildcats drove 67-yards in five plays, featuring a 45 touchdown run by Quinones.  McKinley’s extra point kick tied the score at 21 with 5:45 left in the game.

The Mustangs then drove 70-yards in 16 plays, featuring a 33-yard pass from Geiman to Hartlaub.  The drive ended when Jacob Garrity intercepted a Geiman pass in the end zone for the Wildcats.

The Wildcats then drove 80-yards in ten plays, featuring 57-yard touchdown pass from Gold to Owen Ritter.  McKinley’s extra point kick put the Wildcats up 28-21 with 5:45 left in the game.

The never say die Mustangs then drove 80-yards in thirteen plays, featuring a 10-yard pass from Geiman to Francis and an 11-yard pass from Geiman to Thayer.  The drive ended with Geiman’s 24-yard touchdown pass to Noah Staub with 1:35 left in the game.  Jacob Jansen blocked the extra point kick, saving the game for the Wildcats.

Andrew Slater kicked off 4 times for 176-yards, with the longest going for 57-yards, and Brock Geiman punted 3 times for 119-yards (for an average of 39.7-yards) with the longest going for 43-yards.  Drew Hartlaub returned 1 kickoff for 19-yards and Miles Francis returned 1 punt for 26-yards for the Mustangs.

Gus Landis, with 8 tackles and 1 pass hurry, led the Mustang defense, followed by Seth Janney with 6 tackles and 1 sack, Tyler Jachelski with 6 tackles, Hunter Palmer with 5 tackles and 1 pass defense, Luke Baugher with 4 tackles and 1 sack, Tyler Fulmore with 4 tackles and 1 pass hurry, Bret Hertzog, Ryan Krebs, and Brady Thayer with 4 tackles each, Matt Helwig and Zach Hughes with 3 tackles each, Corbin Byers, and Marcus Jones with 2 tackles each, Chris Steckel with 1 tackle and 2 pass hurries, Miles Francis and Drew Hartlaub with 1 tackle each, and Matt Smolko with 1 fumble recovery.

Luke Baugher, Corbin Byers, Scotty Dickmyer, Mike Farace, Miles Francis, Tyler Fulmore, Matt Helwig, Bret Hertzog, Tyler Jachelski, Seth Janney, Marcus Jones, Gus Landis, Josh Martin, Austin Reusing, Matt Smolko, Chris Steckel, and Josh Zeroth manned the offensive and defensive line and linebacker positions.

Drew Hartlaub, Ryan Krebs, Hunter Palmer, Brady Thayer and Nate VanCampen patrolled the secondary for the Mustangs.

The Mustangs gained 89-yards rushing and 253-yards passing for a total of 342-yards of offense. Junior quarterback Brock Geiman completed 17 of 30 passes for the 253-yards and 2 touchdowns, 3 for 69-yards to Drew Hartlaub, 5 for 59-yards to Miles Francis, 2 for 41-yards to Brady Thayer (including a 30-yard touchdown), 3 for 38-yards to Noah Staub (including a 24-yard touchdown), 2 for 20-yards to Corbin Byers, 1 for 13-yards to Seth Janney, and 1 for 13-yards to Hunter Palmer, for the Mustangs.

Robby Harbison led the Mustangs rushing attack with 16 carries for 41-yards, followed by Hartlaub with 12 carries for 30-yards (including a 14-yard touchdown), and Miles Francis with 6 carries for 18-yards (including a 3-yard touchdown).

Andrew Slater kicked 3 extra points, Matt Smolko recovered 1 fumble, Luke Baugher recorded 1 sack for a 10-yard loss, Seth Janney recorded 1 sack for a 7-yard loss, Hunter Palmer defended 1 pass, Chris Steckel recorded 2 pass hurries, and Tyler Fulmore and Gus Landis each recorded 1 pass hurry, for the Mustangs.

The Wildcats gained 291-yards rushing and 156 yards passing for a total of 447 yards gained.  Quarterback Cade Gold completed 7 of 11 passes for the 156-yards and 1 touchdown, 1 for 57-yards and a touchdown to Owen Ritter, 1 for 38-yards to Dezmond Jones, 2 for 26-yards to Jacob Jansen, 1 for 14-yards to Addison Quinones, 1 for 13-yards to Sharod Wilson, and 1 for 8-yards to John Middleton, for the Wildcats.

Quinones led the Wildcats rushing attack with 164 carries for 186-yards (including a 45-yard touchdown), followed by Sharod Wilson with 17 carries for 100-yards (including touchdowns of 4 and 24-yards), Gold with 6 carries for 4-yards, and Dezmond Jones with 1 carry for 1-yard.  McKinley Curran kicked 4 extra points and had 4 touchbacks on kickoffs, Jacob Garrity intercepted a pass in the end zone, Jacob Jansen blocked an extra point kick and defended 3 passes, Quinones defended 3 passes and caused 1 fumble, and John Middleton and Sean Roberts each defended 1 pass, for the Wildcats.

The 66-member 10-time Cavalcade of Bands Champions, Tournament of Bands Group IV Champion and US Scholastic Band Champion South Western Mustangs Marching Band put on a stirring half time performance, presenting their 2014 field show “Nevermore,” based on “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe, on Band Night.  The show opened with the Overture from “Sweeney Todd” by Stephen Sondheim.  Mozart’s 25th Symphony provided the musical material for the first impact before melding into a minor treatment of the “Johanna” theme.  The madness continued with a return to the Overture that dissolved into a final solution.  The ballad began with beautiful sonorities from the front ensemble.  Freshman trumpet soloist, John Dyson, introduced the ‘Johanna’ theme as the narrator’s thoughts turn to his lost love, Lenore.  The passion built to a climax as he longed to be reunited with her, but alas, they shall be together, nevermore.  The closer brought a return to the narrator’s earlier thoughts as he peers deep into the darkness.  The music reached an emotional culmination with the Mozart and Verdi Requiems, before the percussion section took over with a short feature.

The 132-member Dallastown Wildcats Marching Band gave a crowd-pleasing post game performance of its Alternative Rock show,” featuring the Red Hot Chili Peppers ‘ “Higher Ground,” Fun’s “Carry On,” Radio Head’s “Creep,” American Author’s “Best Day of My Life,” and Owl City’s “Umbrella Beach.”

The 28 member strong Mustangs Cheer Leading squad (27 girls and a guy) and the Wildcats’ squad were very impressive as they roused the faithful.

The Mustangs of South Western are 2-5-0 overall and 2-2-0 in York Adams Interscholastic Athletic Association (YAIAA) Division I league play.

The Mustangs have a career record of 343-214-8.  The results of the 565 games played in the history of the South Western Mustangs are a career .617 winning percentage and a .621 non-losing percentage.

Next week the Mustangs host the Bearcats of William Penn (2-5 overall, 2-2 league).  William Penn is coming off of a 20-17 victory over the Bobcats of Northeastern.  The Mustangs are looking to get back on the winning track.  GO MUSTANGS GO.